Jembatan Nasional Suramadu

Jembatan Nasional Suramadu adalah jembatan melintasi Selat Madura, yang menghubungkan pulau Jawa (di Surabaya) dan pulau Madura (di Bangkalan, tepatnya timur Kamal), Indonesia. Dengan panjang 5.438 m, jembatan ini adalah jembatan terpanjang di Indonesia saat ini. Jembatan terpanjang di Asia Tenggara adalah Jembatan Penang di Malaysia. Jembatan Suramadu terdiri dari tiga bagian dari jalan layang (jalan lintas), jembatan (jembatan pendekatan), dan jembatan utama.

Konstruksi jembatan didirikan awal oleh Presiden Megawati Sukarnoputri pada 20 Agustus 2003 dan diresmikan pembukaannya oleh Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono pada tanggal 10 Juni 2009. Pembangunan jembatan ini dimaksudkan untuk mempercepat pembangunan di Pulau Madura, termasuk infrastruktur dan bidang ekonomi di Madura, yang relatif tertinggal dibandingkan dengan daerah lain di Jawa Timur. Perkiraan biaya pembangunan jembatan ini adalah 4,5 triliun rupiah. Membuat jembatan ini dilakukan dari tiga sisi, kedua sisi Bangkalan dan Surabaya. Sementara itu, pada saat yang sama juga membuat perkembangan rentang tengah pendekatan jembatan dan jembatan.

Jembatan Nasional Suramadu adalah jembatan yang melintasi Selat Madura, menghubungkan Pulau Jawa (di Surabaya) danPulau Madura (di Bangkalan, tepatnya timur Kamal), Indonesia. Dengan panjang 5.438 m, jembatan ini merupakan jembatan terpanjang di Indonesia saat ini. Jembatan Suramadu terdiri dari tiga bagian yaitu jalan layang (causeway), jembatan penghubung (approach bridge), dan jembatan utama (main bridge).

Jembatan ini diresmikan awal pembangunannya oleh Presiden Megawati Soekarnoputri pada 20 Agustus 2003 dan diresmikan pembukaannya oleh Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono pada 10 Juni 2009^[2]. Pembangunan jembatan ini ditujukan untuk mempercepat pembangunan di Pulau Madura, meliputi bidang infrastruktur dan ekonomi di Madura, yang relatif tertinggal dibandingkan kawasan lain di Jawa Timur. Perkiraan biaya pembangunan jembatan ini adalah 4,5 triliun rupiah.

Pembuatan jembatan ini dilakukan dari tiga sisi, baik sisi Bangkalan maupun sisi Surabaya. Sementara itu, secara bersamaan juga dilakukan pembangunan bentang tengah yang terdiri dari main bridge dan approach bridge.

Daftar isi

  [sembunyikan] 

• 1 Konstruksi
  • 1.1 Jalan layang
  • 1.2 Jembatan penghubung
  • 1.3 Jembatan utama
  • 1.4 Dampak ekonomi dan kependudukan
• 2 Daftar Gerbang Tol
• 3 Gambar-gambar
• 4 Lihat pula
• 5 Referensi
• 6 Pranala luar

Konstruksi[sunting | sunting sumber]

Jembatan Suramadu pada dasarnya merupakan gabungan dari tiga jenis jembatan dengan panjang keseluruhan sepanjang 5.438 meter dengan lebar kurang lebih 30 meter. Jembatan ini menyediakan empat lajur dua arah selebar 3,5 meter dengan dua lajur darurat selebar 2,75 meter. Jembatan ini juga menyediakan lajur khusus bagi pengendara sepeda motor disetiap sisi luar jembatan.

Jalan layang[sunting | sunting sumber]

Jalan layang atau Causeway dibangun untuk menghubungkan konstruksi jembatan dengan jalan darat melalui perairan dangkal di kedua sisi. Jalan layang ini terdiri dari 36 bentang sepanjang 1.458 meter pada sisi Surabaya dan 45 bentang sepanjang 1.818 meter pada sisi Madura.

Jalan layang ini menggunakan konstruksi penyangga PCI dengan panjang 40 meter tiap bentang yang disangga pondasi pipa baja berdiameter 60 cm.

Jembatan penghubung[sunting | sunting sumber]

Jembatan penghubung atau approach bridge menghubungkan jembatan utama dengan jalan layang. Jembatan terdiri dari dua bagian dengan panjang masing-masing 672 meter.

Jembatan ini menggunakan konstruksi penyangga beton kotak sepanjang 80 meter tiap bentang dengan 7 bentang tiap sisi yang ditopang pondasi penopang berdiameter 180 cm.

Jembatan utama[sunting | sunting sumber]

Jembatan utama atau main bridge terdiri dari tiga bagian yaitu dua bentang samping sepanjang 192 meter dan satu bentang utama sepanjang 434 meter.

Jembatan utama menggunakan konstruksi cable stayed yang ditopang oleh menara kembar setinggi 140 meter. Lantai jembatan menggunakan konstruksi komposit setebal 2,4 meter.

Untuk mengakomodasi pelayaran kapal laut yang melintasi Selat Madura, jembatan ini memberikan ruang bebas setinggi 35 meter dari permukaan laut. Pada bagian inilah yang menyebabkan pembangunannya menjadi sulit dan terhambat, dan juga menyebabkan biaya pembangunannya membengkak.

Dampak ekonomi dan kependudukan[sunting | sunting sumber]

Dengan adanya pembangunan jembatan ini, pemerintah berharap dapat meningkatkan pemerataan pendapatan di wilayah surabaya ke wilayah madura, begitu pula dengan kependudukan, mengingat wilayah surabaya yang semakin padat dengan penduduk yang melakukan urbanisasi yang sebagian besar berasal dari wilayah madura, pemerintah berharap dengan adanya pemerataan ekonomi ini dapat menekan laju urbanisasi tersebut.

Ponte Vecchio

Jembatan ini merupakan jemabtan wisata paling terkenal di italia jembatan ini dibangun dengan mengunakan batu sepenuhnya jembatan ini juga merupakan jembtan batu tertua di dunia yang ada saat ini, awalnya jaembatan ini dibangun dari kayu sampai hancur oleh banjir pada 1333, dan dua belas tahun kemudian dibangun kembali dengan menggunakan batu.

The Ponte Vecchio ("Old Bridge", Italian pronunciation: [ˈponte ˈvɛkkjo])^[1][2] is a Medieval stone closed-spandrel segmental arch bridgeover the Arno River, in Florence, Italy, noted for still having shops built along it, as was once common. Butchers initially occupied the shops; the present tenants are jewelers, art dealers and souvenir sellers. The Ponte Vecchio's two neighbouring bridges are thePonte Santa Trinita and the Ponte alle Grazie.

Contents

  [hide] 

• 1 History and construction
• 2 Vasari's Corridor
• 3 Recent history
• 4 Gallery
• 5 See also
• 6 Notes
• 7 References
• 8 External links

History and construction[edit]

The bridge spans the Arno at its narrowest point^[3] where it is believed that a bridge was first built in Roman times,^[4] when the via Cassia crossed the river at this point.^[3] The Roman piers were of stone, the superstructure of wood. The bridge first appears in a document of 996.^[3] After being destroyed by a flood in 1117 it was reconstructed in stone but swept away again in 1333^[4] save two of its central piers, as noted by Giovanni Villani in his Nuova Cronica.^[5] It was rebuilt in 1345,^[6] Giorgio Vasari recorded the tradition in his day, that attributed its design to Taddeo Gaddi,^[1] besides Giotto one of the few artistic names of the trecento still recalled two hundred years later. Modern historians present Neri di Fioravanti as a possible candidate.^[3] Sheltered in a little loggia at the central opening of the bridge is a weathered dedication stone, which once read Nel trentatrè dopo il mille-trecento, il ponte cadde, per diluvio dell' acque: poi dieci anni, come al Comun piacque, rifatto fu con questo adornamento.^[7] The Torre dei Mannelli was built at the southeast corner of the bridge to defend it.

The bridge consists of three segmental arches: the main arch has a span of 30 meters (98 feet) the two side arches each span 27 meters (89 feet). The rise of the arches is between 3.5 and 4.4 meters (11½ to 14½ feet), and the span-to-rise ratio 5:1.^[8]

Damage shown shortly after liberation in August 1944 during WWII

It has always hosted shops and merchants who displayed their goods on tables before their premises, after authorization of the Bargello (a sort of a lord mayor, a magistrate and a police authority). The back shops (retrobotteghe) that may be seen from upriver, were added in the seventeenth century.^[3]

It is said that the economic concept of bankruptcy originated here: when a money-changer could not pay his debts, the table on which he sold his wares (the "banco") was physically broken ("rotto") by soldiers, and this practice was called "bancorotto" (broken table; possibly it can come from "banca rotta" which means "broken bank"). Not having a table anymore, the merchant was not able to sell anything.^{[citation needed][9][10]}

During World War II, the Ponte Vecchio was not destroyed by Germans during their retreat of August 4, 1944, unlike all other bridges in Florence.^[11][12] This was allegedly, according to many locals and tour guides, because of an express order by Hitler.^[13][14][15] Access to Ponte Vecchio was, however, obstructed by the destruction of the buildings at both ends, which have since been rebuilt using a combination of original and modern design.

Vasari corridor from Palazzo Vecchio to Uffizi

Vasari's Corridor[edit]

Main article: Vasari Corridor

In order to connect the Palazzo Vecchio (Florence's town hall) with the Palazzo Pitti, in 1565 Cosimo I de' Medici had Giorgio Vasari build the Vasari Corridor above it.^[4] To enforce the prestige of the bridge, in 1593 the Medici Grand Dukes prohibited butchers from selling there; their place was immediately taken by several gold merchants. The corporative association of butchers had monopolised the shops on the bridge since 1442. A stone with an inscription from Dante (Paradiso xvi. 140-7) records the spot at the entrance to the bridge where Buondelmonte de' Buondelmonti was murdered on behalf of the Amidei, in 1215, initiating the urban fighting of the Guelfs and Ghibellines.

Recent history[edit]

Along the Ponte Vecchio, there can be seen many padlocks affixed in various places, especially to the railing around the statue of Benvenuto Cellini.^[16] This is a recent tradition for the Ponte Vecchio, although it has been practiced in Russia and in Asia before. It was perhaps introduced by the padlock shop owner at the end of the bridge. It is popularly connected to idea of love and lovers: by locking the padlock and throwing the key into the river, the lovers became eternally bonded. This is an example of the negative impact of mass tourism: thousands of padlocks needed to be removed frequently, spoiling or damaging the structure of the centuries-old bridge; however, it seems to have decreased after the city administration put a sign on the bridge mentioning a €160 penalty for those caught locking something to the fence.

There is a similar ongoing padlock phenomenon at Ponte Milvio, due to one of Federico Moccia's books.

The bridge was severely damaged in the 1966 flood of the Arno.^[17]

The bridge is mentioned in the aria "O mio babbino caro" by Giacomo Puccini.

Panoramic view of the Ponte Vecchio, from the West.

Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge merupakan jemabtan paling terkenal yang membentang di atas Sungai Thames di London, Inggris Raya. Jembatan ini mengabungkan dua desain jembatan yaitu angkat dan gantung. Letaknya yang berdekatan dengan London Tower membuat jembatan ini diberi nama Tower Bridge. Jembatan ini selesai dibangun tahun 1894, dan merupakan salah satu ikon kota London. Jembatan Menara adalah salah satu jembatan yang dimiliki dan dikelola oleh Bridge House Estates, sebuah lembaga amal dari City of London Corporation.

Jembatan ini terdiri dari dua bangunan menara yang dihubungkan di tingkat atas oleh dua koridor untuk pejalan kaki. Dari koridor untuk pejalan kaki yang berada 42 meter di atas Sungai Thames, pengunjung dapat menikmati keindahan kota London dari atas. Pemandangan yang bisa dilihat termasuk di antaranya Katedral St. Paul, pusat bisnis dan belanja Canary Wharf, dan London Eye.

Tower Bridge (built 1886–1894) is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London, England which crosses theRiver Thames. It is close to the Tower of London, from which it takes its name^{[citation needed]}, and has become an iconic symbol of London.

The bridge consists of two bridge towers tied together at the upper level by two horizontal walkways, designed to withstand the horizontal forces exerted by the suspended sections of the bridge on the landward sides of the towers. The vertical components of the forces in the suspended sections and the vertical reactions of the two walkways are carried by the two robust towers. The bascule pivots and operating machinery are housed in the base of each tower. The bridge's present colour scheme dates from 1977, when it was painted red, white and blue for Queen Elizabeth II'sSilver Jubilee. Originally it was painted a mid greenish-blue colour.^[1]

The nearest London Underground tube stations are Tower Hill on the Circle and District lines, London Bridge andBermondsey, and the nearest Docklands Light Railway station is Tower Gateway.^[2]

History

In the second half of the 19th century, increased commercial development in the East End of London led to a requirement for a new river crossing downstream of London Bridge. A traditional fixed bridge could not be built because it would cut off access by tall-masted ships to the port facilities in the Pool of London, between London Bridge and the Tower of London.

A Special Bridge or Subway Committee was formed in 1877, chaired by Sir Albert Joseph Altman, to find a solution to the river crossing problem. It opened the design of the crossing to public competition. Over 50 designs were submitted, including one from civil engineer SirJoseph Bazalgette. The evaluation of the designs was surrounded by controversy, and it was not until 1884 that a design submitted by Sir Horace Jones, the City Architect (who was also one of the judges),^[3] was approved.

Jones' engineer, Sir John Wolfe Barry, devised the idea of a bascule bridge with two bridge towers built on piers. The central span was split into two equal bascules or leaves, which could be raised to allow river traffic to pass. The two side-spans were suspension bridges, with the suspension rods anchored both at the abutments and through rods contained within the bridge's upper walkways.

Opening

The bridge was officially opened on 30 June 1894 by The Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VII), and his wife, The Princess of Wales (Alexandra of Denmark).^[4]

The bridge connected Iron Gate, on the north bank of the river, with Horselydown Lane, on the south – now known as Tower Bridge Approach and Tower Bridge Road, respectively.^[5] Until the bridge was opened, the Tower Subway – 400 m to the west – was the shortest way to cross the river from Tower Hill to Tooley Street in Southwark. Opened in 1870, Tower Subway was among the world's earliest underground ("tube") railway, but it closed after just three months and was re-opened as a pedestrian foot tunnel. Once Tower Bridge was open, the majority of foot traffic transferred to using the bridge, there being no toll to pay to use it. Having lost most of its income, the tunnel was closed in 1898.^[6]

Tower Bridge is one of five London bridges now owned and maintained by the Bridge House Estates, a charitable trust overseen by theCity of London Corporation. It is the only one of the Trust's bridges not to connect the City of London directly to the Southwark bank, the northern landfall being in Tower Hamlets.

Construction started in 1887 and took eight years with five major contractors – Sir John Jackson (foundations), Baron Armstrong(hydraulics), William Webster, Sir H.H. Bartlett, and Sir William Arrol & Co.^[7] – and employed 432 construction workers. E W Crutwell was the resident engineer for the construction.^[5]

Two massive piers, containing over 70,000 tons of concrete,^[3] were sunk into the riverbed to support the construction. Over 11,000 tons of steel provided the framework for the towers and walkways.^[3] This was then clad in Cornish granite and Portland stone, both to protect the underlying steelwork and to give the bridge a pleasing appearance.

Jones died in 1887 and George D. Stevenson took over the project.^[3] Stevenson replaced Jones's original brick façade with the more ornate Victorian Gothic style, which makes the bridge a distinctive landmark, and was intended to harmonise the bridge with the nearbyTower of London.^[5] The total cost of construction was £1,184,000^[5] (equivalent to £118 million in 2015).^[8]

Design[edit]

Tower Bridge viewed from the top ofLondon City Hall.

The bridge is 800 feet (244 m) in length with two towers each 213 feet (65 m) high, built on piers. The central span of 200 feet (61 m) between the towers is split into two equal bascules or leaves, which can be raised to an angle of 86 degrees to allow river traffic to pass. The bascules, weighing over 1,000 tons each, are counterbalanced to minimise the force required and allow raising in five minutes.

The two side-spans are suspension bridges, each 270 feet (82 m) long, with the suspension rods anchored both at the abutments and through rods contained within the bridge's upper walkways. The pedestrian walkways are 143 feet (44 m) above the river at high tide.^[5]

Hydraulic system[edit]

One of the original steam engines: a 360 hp horizontal twin-tandem compound engine, fitted with Meyer expansion slide valves

The third engine in working order,
at Forncett Industrial Steam Museum

The original raising mechanism was powered by pressurised water stored in several hydraulic accumulators.^[9] The system was designed and installed by Hamilton Owen Rendel^[10] while working for Sir W. G. Armstrong Mitchell & Company of Newcastle upon Tyne. Water, at a pressure of 750 psi (5.2 MPa), is pumped into the accumulators by two 360 hp (270 kW) stationary steam engines, each driving a force pump from its piston tail rod. The accumulators each comprise a 20 inches (51 cm) ram on which sits a very heavy weight to maintain the desired pressure.

The entire hydraulic system along with the gas lighting system was installed by William Sugg & Co Ltd., the well known Westminster gas engineers. The gas lighting was initially by open flame burners within the lanterns but soon after was updated to the later incandescent system.^[11]

In 1974, the original operating mechanism was largely replaced by a new electro-hydraulic drive system, designed by BHA Cromwell House. The only components of the original system still in use are the final pinions, which engage with the racks fitted to the bascules. These are driven by modern hydraulic motors and gearing, using oil rather than water as the hydraulic fluid.^[12] Some of the originalhydraulic machinery has been retained, although it is no longer in use. It is open to the public and forms the basis for the bridge's museum, which resides in the old engine rooms on the south side of the bridge. The museum includes the steam engines, two of the accumulators and one of the hydraulic engines that moved the bascules, along with other related artefacts.

Third steam engine[edit]

During World War II, as a precaution against the existing engines being damaged by enemy action, a third engine was installed in 1942:^[13] a 150 hp horizontal cross-compound engine, built by Vickers Armstrong Ltd. at their Elswick works in Newcastle upon Tyne. It was fitted with a flywheel having a 9-foot (2.7 m) diameter and weighing 9 tons, and was governed to a speed of 30 rpm.^[13] The engine became redundant when the rest of the system was modernised in 1974, and was donated to the Forncett Industrial Steam Museum by the Corporation of the City of London.^[13]

To control the passage of river traffic through the bridge, a number of different rules and signals were employed. Daytime control was provided by red semaphore signals, mounted on small control cabins on either end of both bridge piers. At night, coloured lights were used, in either direction, on both piers: two red lights to show that the bridge was closed, and two green to show that it was open. In foggy weather, a gong was sounded as well.^[5]

Vessels passing through the bridge had to display signals too: by day, a black ball at least 2 feet (0.61 m) in diameter was to be mounted high up where it could be seen; by night, two red lights in the same position. Foggy weather required repeated blasts from the ship's steam whistle.^[5]

If a black ball was suspended from the middle of each walkway (or a red light at night) this indicated that the bridge could not be opened. These signals were repeated about 1,000 yards (910 m) downstream, at Cherry Garden Pier, where boats needing to pass through the bridge had to hoist their signals/lights and sound their horn, as appropriate, to alert the Bridge Master.^[5]

When needing to be raised for the passage of a vessel the bascules are only raised to an angle sufficient for the vessel to safely pass under the bridge, except in the case of a vessel with the Monarch on board in which case they are raised fully no matter the size of the vessel.

Some of the control mechanism for the signalling equipment has been preserved and may be seen working in the bridge's museum

Reaction[edit]

A time lapse video of Tower Bridge

Although the bridge is an undoubted landmark, professional commentators in the early 20th century were critical of its aesthetics. "It represents the vice of tawdriness and pretentiousness, and of falsification of the actual facts of the structure", wrote H. H. Statham,^[14]while Frank Brangwyn stated that "A more absurd structure than the Tower Bridge was never thrown across a strategic river".^[15]

Architectural historian Dan Cruickshank selected the bridge as one of his four choices for the 2002 BBC television documentary seriesBritain's Best Buildings.^[16]

Mistaken identity[edit]

Tower Bridge is often mistaken for London Bridge,^[17] the next bridge upstream. A popular urban legend is that in 1968, Robert P. McCulloch, the purchaser of the old London Bridge that was later shipped to Lake Havasu City, Arizona, believed that he was in fact buying Tower Bridge. This was denied by McCulloch himself and has been debunked by Ivan Luckin, the vendor of the bridge.^[18]

Traffic[edit]

The tall ship Wylde Swan passing under Tower Bridge decorated for the London Olympics in August 2012. Note the Olympic rings folded up to allow passage of the mast.^[19]

Road[edit]

Tower Bridge is still a busy and vital crossing of the Thames: it is crossed by over 40,000 people (motorists, cyclists and pedestrians) every day.^[20] The bridge is on the London Inner Ring Road, and is on the eastern boundary of the London congestion charge zone. (Drivers do not incur a charge by crossing the bridge.)

Tower Bridge opening at night for a ferry

To maintain the integrity of the structure, the City of London Corporation has imposed a 20 miles per hour (32 km/h) speed restriction, and an 18 tonne weight limit on vehicles using the bridge. A camera system measures the speed of traffic crossing the bridge, utilising anumber plate recognition system to send fixed penalty charges to speeding drivers.^[21]

A second system monitors other vehicle parameters. Induction loops and piezoelectric sensors are used to measure the weight, the height of the chassis above ground level, and the number of axles of each vehicle.^[21]

River[edit]

The bascules are raised around 1000 times a year.^[22] River traffic is now much reduced, but it still takes priority over road traffic. Today, 24 hours' notice is required before opening the bridge, and opening times are published in advance on the bridge's website.^[23] There is no charge for vessels.

A computer system was installed in 2000 to control the raising and lowering of the bascules remotely. It proved unreliable, resulting in the bridge being stuck in the open or closed positions on several occasions during 2005 until its sensors were replaced.^[20]

Tower Bridge Exhibition and the tower walkways[edit]

Interior of high-level walkway (used as an exhibition space)

The high-level open air walkways between the towers gained an unpleasant reputation as a haunt for prostitutes and pickpockets; as they were only accessible by stairs they were seldom used by regular pedestrians, and were closed in 1910. In 1982 they were reopened as part of the Tower Bridge Exhibition, a display housed in the bridge's twin towers, the high-level walkways and the Victorian engine rooms. The exhibition charges an admission fee. It uses films, photos and interactive displays to explain why and how Tower Bridge was built. Visitors can access the original steam engines that once powered the bridge bascules, housed in a building close to the south end of the bridge.

2008–2012 facelift[edit]

Towern, close up

In April 2008 it was announced that the bridge would undergo a 'facelift' costing £4 million, and taking four years to complete. The work entailed stripping off the existing paint down to bare metal and repainting in blue and white. Each section was enshrouded in scaffolding and plastic sheeting to prevent the old paint falling into the Thames and causing pollution. Starting in mid-2008, contractors worked on a quarter of the bridge at a time to minimise disruption, but some road closures were inevitable. It is intended that the completed work will stand for 25 years.^[24]

The renovation of the walkway interior was completed in mid-2009. Within the walkways a versatile new lighting system has been installed, designed by Eleni Shiarlis, for when the walkways are in use for exhibitions or functions. The new system provides for both feature and atmospheric lighting, the latter using bespoke RGB LED luminares, designed to be concealed within the bridge superstructure and fixed without the need for drilling (these requirements as a result of the bridge's Grade I status).^[25] The renovation of the four suspension chains was completed in March 2010 using a state-of-the-art coating system requiring up to six different layers of 'paint'.^[26]

London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics[edit]

The bridge featured in publicity for the 2012 Summer Olympics being held in London. In June 2012 a set of Olympic rings was suspended from the bridge to mark one month to go until the start of the games. The rings cost £259,817 to make, measured 25 by 11.5 metres (82 by 38 ft) and weighed 13 tonnes (14 short tons).^[27]

On 9 June 2012 an AgustaWestland AW-139 (G-OLYM) flew three times through Tower Bridge while being filmed from a second helicopter for a segment of the opening ceremony entitled Happy and Glorious.^[28]

Professional footballer David Beckham piloted a dramatically illuminated Bladerunner BR RIB35X sportsboat, carrying the female footballer Jade Bailey and the Olympic Torch at the bow, under the raised bascules of the bridge during the ceremony. As they transited the crossing, fireworks exploded from the bridge.^[29][30]

On 8 July 2012, the west walkway was transformed into a 200 foot long Live Music Sculpture by the British composer Samuel Bordoli. 30 classical musicians were arranged along the length of the bridge 42 metres above the Thames behind the Olympic rings. The sound travelled backwards and forwards along the walkway, echoing the structure of bridge.^[31][32]

Following the Olympics, the rings were removed from Tower Bridge and replaced by the emblem of the Paralympic Games for the 2012 Summer Paralympics.^[33]

Tower Bridge, looking up-stream, at dusk.
The bridge connects The Borough (Southwark, south of the river, left of picture) to the City of London (viaTower Hamlets).

Incidents[edit]

:Tower Bridge London

In December 1952, the bridge opened while a number 78 double-decker bus was crossing from the south bank. At that time, the gateman would ring a warning bell and close the gates when the bridge was clear before the watchman ordered the raising of the bridge. The process failed while a relief watchman was on duty. The bus was near the edge of the south bascule when it started to rise; driver Albert Gunter made a split-second decision to accelerate, clearing a 3 ft gap to drop 6 ft onto the north bascule, which had not yet started to rise. There were no serious injuries.^[34][35] Gunter was given £10 (equivalent to £250 in 2015^[8]) by the City Corporation to honour his act of bravery.^[36]

The Hawker Hunter Tower Bridge incident occurred on 5 April 1968 when a Royal Air Force Hawker Hunter FGA.9 jet fighter from No. 1 Squadron, flown by Flt Lt Alan Pollock, flew through Tower Bridge. Unimpressed that senior staff were not going to celebrate the RAF's 50th birthday with a fly-past, Pollock decided to do something himself. Without authorisation, Pollock flew the Hunter at low altitude down the Thames, past the Houses of Parliament, and continued on toward Tower Bridge. He flew the Hunter beneath the bridge's walkway, remarking afterwards that it was an afterthought when he saw the bridge looming ahead of him. Pollock was placed under arrest upon landing, and discharged from the RAF on medical grounds without the chance to defend himself at a court martial.^[37][38]

Tower Bridge with 2012 Olympic rings lit up at night

In summer 1973 a single-engined Beagle Pup was twice flown under the pedestrian walkway of Tower Bridge by 29-year-old stockbroker's clerk Paul Martin. Martin was on bail following accusations of stockmarket fraud. He then "buzzed" buildings in The City, before flying north towards theLake District where he died when his aircraft crashed some two hours later.^[39]

In May 1997,^[40] the motorcade of United States President Bill Clinton was divided by the opening of the bridge. The Thames sailing bargeGladys, on her way to a gathering at St Katharine Docks, arrived on schedule and the bridge was duly opened for her. Returning from a Thames-side lunch at Le Pont de la Tour restaurant, with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, President Clinton was less punctual, and arrived just as the bridge was rising. The bridge opening split the motorcade in two, much to the consternation of security staff. A spokesman for Tower Bridge is quoted as saying, "We tried to contact the American Embassy, but they wouldn't answer the phone."^[41]

On 19 August 1999, Jef Smith, a Freeman of the City of London, drove a flock of two sheep across the bridge. He was exercising a claimed ancient permission, granted as a right to Freemen, to make a point about the powers of older citizens and the way in which their rights were being eroded.^[42]

Before dawn on 31 October 2003, David Crick, a Fathers 4 Justice campaigner, climbed a 100 ft (30 m) tower crane near Tower Bridge at the start of a six-day protest dressed as Spider-Man.^[43] Fearing for his safety, and that of motorists should he fall, police cordoned off the area, closing the bridge and surrounding roads and causing widespread traffic congestion across the City and east London. At the time, the building contractor Taylor Woodrow Construction Ltd. was in the midst of constructing a new office tower known as "K2". The Metropolitan Police were later criticised for maintaining the closure for five days when this was not strictly necessary in the eyes of some citizens.^[44][45]

On 11 May 2009, six people were trapped and injured after a lift fell 10 ft (3 m) inside the north tower.^[46][47]